A group of pilots of the Normandie-Neman air regiment at the Yak-3 fighter in East Prussia. A distinctive feature of the regiment visible in this photo is the Yak-3 fighter jet, painted in the colors of the French flag (red-white-blue)
The Normandie-Neman air regiment was the only military unit of another country that fought on the territory of the USSR during the years of the Great Patriotic War. The British and Americans sent only equipment, food, fuel to the Soviet Union. Occupied France could not give any of this. In 1942, General Charles de Gaulle offered assistance to the Soviet leadership in the form of a squadron of French pilots. Stalin accepted the offer. For Joseph Vissarionovich, this was of very significant political importance, since the head of our state hoped that the arrival of the allies would accelerate the opening of a second front. De Gaulle, in turn, wanted to enlist the help of the French Communists participating in the Resistance. In addition, his recognition by the Soviet Union as the leader of the French liberation movement was necessary for the general as a counterweight to Churchill's pressure. By that time, the British had already made a number of important decisions about the French colonies, without even notifying the famous statesman.
On November 29, 1942, fifteen French pilots, thirty-nine aircraft technicians, and four staff officers arrived at the airfield in the city of Ivanovo. December 4 of them have already formed aviation squadron. The pilots named it "Normandy" in honor of one of the French provinces. Thus, they showed their difference from Vichy aviation regiments, which had only numbered names.
From the memoirs of Georges Mazurel, a veteran of the Normandy-Neman air regiment: “I remember well how after months in the desert we moved to Ivanovo. The military and civilians greeted us cordially, giving such a warm welcome that we soon all became friends, despite the language barrier. ”
Most French pilots were barely twenty by that time. Of the fifteen pilots who arrived, only seven had experience of air battles, participating in single battles over North Africa. Since free French pilots were trained by experts from England, Churchill was opposed to releasing aces from the Western Front. Only three of the French flew more than three hundred hours, which were necessary to obtain a flight certificate. For others, this figure ranged around 150. To find themselves on the Eastern Front, the pilots cheated, attributing to themselves the missing hours.
From the memoirs of the Normandie-Niemen pilot-pilot, Roland de la Puap: “We wanted to fight together with the Russians. They were not afraid of death, military pilots are always ready for death. We wanted hard fights, difficulties, trials. And all this got off in full. ”
After arriving in the Soviet Union, the French were invited to choose their own aircraft model for battle. Among the options were the English "Hurricanes", American "Airbraders", Soviet La-5 and Yak-1. Pilots opted for the Yak-1. Soon, all the French fighter pilots successfully passed the exam and set off from the training base at the disposal of the regiment of bombers at the airfield of the Polotnyany plant. Their mission was accompanied by slow Pe-2.
After the first battles, the pilots opened the score to the downed fascists. However, there were losses and considerable. Only for 13 on April the squadron lost three men. Found serious problems. The French could not navigate the snowy steppes of Russia. It cost the life of Jean Ray, who, together with Louis Astier, during August 1943's assignment, turned out to be over the enemy's territory and was shot at. In addition, the high skill of the French pilots had one unpleasant feature. Friends on earth, at the height they were every man for himself. Pilots were originally trained for single combat. However, such tactics on the most terrible front led only to the fact that they turned into cannon fodder for the Germans.
The French did not intend to sit back in the rear, but the Soviet command could not allow them to continue to take part in the battles either. The country needed a lively and efficient squadron, not just a few dead heroes. Therefore, the "Normandy" was attached to the 303 th division of the fourth squadron in the eighteenth air regiment. Guardsmen from 18-th took to "put on the wing" of foreigners, by personal example, having trained them in combat interaction. 17 April 1943, the first joint sortie of the Soviet and French pilots took place.
From the memoirs of a Soviet ace: “The French showed us their tactics of solitary combat. And we then criticized them for a long time. Sitting at the dugout, painted on the ground with his hands. They explained how we protect each other in the air. ”
The Soviet pilots spent a lot of time to train the French not to get lost in unfamiliar terrain. Major-General Zakharov personally explained to foreigners the tactics of conducting a group battle with mutual support using the example of a broom. He broke one twig and immediately showed that if all the twigs are together, then the broom will not break.
A lot of inconvenience to the allies brought the language barrier and the usual domestic difficulties. For example, the French refused to eat buckwheat weat that was widespread in our country, calling it “bird food”.
Junior Lieutenant Roger Saugage (Roger Sauvage) from the regiment "Normandie-Neman" in the cockpit of the Yak-3 fighter. In total, on the Soviet-German front (from January 1944 until the end of hostilities), Roger Sovazhe shot down fourteen German aircraft. Two more German bomber he shot down at 1940g. over france
From the memoirs of de la Puap: “Every spring we collected dandelions, which led the Russians to bewilderment. Only in Russia can one see such a miracle as huge yellow dandelion fields. And I love to collect mushrooms. They called me “fighter mushroom picker”.
Another problem was the harsh climate of our country. The pilots had hard times during the Russian cold. And the mechanics were even more difficult. In their mittens, they could not twist a single screw, and without mittens they could not work at all in the cold. In the end, by mutual consent, the French mechanics were replaced by ours.
Soon a friendly relationship developed between the Russians and the French, which grew into a real male friendship. When Vasily Stalin wanted to take the famous “Normans” to him, the French categorically opposed this transfer. The commander of the 303 th aviation division, George Zakharov, they didn’t adore. They called him "elder brother" and "father." And by order of the chief of the eighteenth air regiment, Anatoly Golubov, they could unquestioningly go to hell and to the ends of the earth.
In 1944, the fascists shot down an airplane in which French pilot Maurice de Seyne and Soviet mechanic Vladimir Belozub were stationed. The pilot was ordered to jump, but he knew that the mechanic did not have a parachute. De Seyne did not leave a friend, until the last moment trying to level the car. They died together. Another less sad example of the friendship of the allies was the love stories of French pilots with local girls. One of them - Alexander Laurent - even got married.
In July 1943, the squadron was reformed into a fighter regiment. The first commander was appointed Major Pierre Puyad. Soon the Yak-1 aircraft were replaced by the Yak-9. And in August, the 1944-th regiment received the Yak-3.
From the words of the former pilot, collector Maxi Gainz: “The pilots of the Messerschmitt had the order not to get involved in a single battle with the Yak-3, since it had no equal in maneuverability. In a fair fight, he did not give the Germans any chance of winning. ”
From the memoirs of the French pilot: “On the Yak-3, two could successfully fight against four, and four against sixteen. On such machines, we felt full masters in the air. ”
From the memoirs of the French pilot: “On the Yak-3, two could successfully fight against four, and four against sixteen. On such machines, we felt full masters in the air. ”
The commander of the 303 th Fighter Division, Major General George Nefedovich Zakharov, Lieutenant Joseph Risso of the Normandie-Neman air regiment and Soviet officers at the Yak-3 fighter. The fighter in the photo with the image of St. George on the fuselage - Yak-3 with the engine VK-105ПФ2 - personal car GF. Zakharova
Fighter regiment "Normandy" participated in the Battle of Kursk, in the Belarusian and East Prussian operations. Pilots helped liberate Oryol, Bryansk, Smolensk, Koenigsberg, Gumbinnen (now Gusev), Pilau, Instenburg and other cities. In the summer of 1944, Joseph Vissarionovich assigned the honorary title Normandie-Neman to the air regiment for its invaluable assistance in forcing the Neman River and liberating Lithuania.
But the main result of the actions of the fighter regiment is over five thousand sorties, around 900 air battles, 273 recorded victories (not counting eighty wounded airplanes) from March 1943 to April 1945. However, fate did not spoil the French. During the fighting, of the ninety-six pilots, forty-two died (thirty-five of them in aerial combat). Of the fifteen people of the first team, only three survived: Rolan de la Puap, Marcel Albert and Joseph Risso. Eighty-three pilots of the Normandy-Neman regiment were awarded by the Soviet leadership, and the regiment was awarded the Order of the Red Banner and Alexander Nevsky. Four Frenchmen were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. It was received by: Lieutenant Marcel Albert, Lieutenant Roland de la Puap, Commander of the Third Squadron Marcel Lefevre (posthumously) and Lieutenant Jacques Andre. The Government of France awarded the Normandy-Neman with the Military Cross, the Order of the Legion of Honor, the Military Medal and the Order of Liberation.
Rolan de la Puap was among the first pilots to go to our country. The Normandy-Neman air regiment flew more than one hundred and twenty sorties, scoring eighteen victories! In one day he was able to destroy two Nazi aircraft. By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR for military valor and courage, Rolan was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. Much later in 2008, the retired colonel, Count de la Puap, won one of the main awards of France - the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor. After the end of the war, Roland served in the French Air Force until 1947, then became a businessman. Earned fortune spent on the creation of the marine zoo Marineland on the Cote d'Azur in France. The famous Normandy ace died of natural causes 23 on October 2012 in Saint-Tropez on the ninety-third year of his life.
After the end of hostilities, the pilots and families of the dead pilots received a monetary reward from the USSR. The total amount was about 250 thousand dollars. Our country also donated airplanes in which the French fought the German invaders (forty-one Yak-3). For comparison, the British Ministry of Military Affairs agreed not to surrender, but to sell only bombers on which pilots from France fought. 20 June 1945-th the French returned home.
The French pilot of the Normandy-Neman regiment and Soviet technicians are preparing the Yak-3 fighter for departure. The pilot in the photo - Lieutenant Roger Stamps. At the end of the war, 13 shot down German aircraft. On the wing is also an aircraft mechanic, senior sergeant Leonid Ivanovich Sanin
At home, the Normandie-Niemen has become an elite part. The regiment participated in the war in Indochina, in the bombing of Yugoslavia as part of NATO forces.
“Everyone entering our service is being tested for knowledge of regimental stories. We are very proud of the past, it is part of our prestige, ”- from the speech of the former commander of the Normandy-Neman, François Tricot.
In 1995, in Russia, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the regiment, the honorary title Normandie-Neman was assigned to the 18th Guards Aviation Regiment, which had fought in the past along with the French. The regiment was based at the airfield of the village Galenki, located in the Primorsky Territory. Unfortunately, due to the regular reform of the Armed Forces of our country in 2009, a number of regiments ceased to exist. Among them was the eighteenth Guards. His successor was assigned to an air base in the Far East under the number 6988. In the same year, due to the reduction in the number of the French army, the activities of the French fighter group of the same name, located in the city of Colmar, were suspended. Part of the pilots and aircraft along with the regimental flag was attached to the military base in Reims. This happened just on the eve of the Franco-Russian friendship noted in 2010 of the year.
“After the dissolution of the squadrons“ Lorraine ”in 2005 and“ Alsace ”in 2009 is the third part created by de Gaulle, which disappeared,” French newspapers wrote indignantly. And here's what the war veteran J. Mazurel says about this: “We tried everything to save Normandy. This decision cannot leave any of the pilots indifferent either in France or in Russia. ”
By the end of 2012, the authorities pledged to rebuild the regiment on the basis of Mont de Marsan. He will adopt the Rafale fighter jets.
The French pilot of the Normandy-Neman regiment, Lieutenant Roger Marki, is at the cockpit of his Yak-3 fighter. At the end of the war, Mark had 13 downed German aircraft
2012 marks seventy years of renowned aviation regiment. What does this mean for today? Who cherishes the memory of the Normandy-Neman in the heart? In 2010, the air regiment museum in the hometown of M. Lefebvre Les Andelye closed due to lack of financial support. The museum worked with the money of the city administration, as well as the sale of books and meetings. Employees of the institution said that the proceeds were barely enough to pay. As a result, the authorities decided to move the exhibition in Le Bourget to the Museum of Aviation and Cosmonautics. Today the only copy of the genuine "Yak-3" regiment of the "Normandy-Neman" is kept there. The exhibition will open to the public in 2013 year. At the same time in Russia today there are about twenty museums of famous "Normans" based on schools. There are five of them in the capital. Here are the meetings of children with veterans, round tables and exhibitions. The Association of Veterans of the Regiment, headed by Anatoly Fetisov, is engaged in the patriotic education of children. And engaged in without state assistance. Only six months ago, the Association appeared a small private premises in the territory of the plant to them. V. Ilyich.
It should be noted that in France, very little is known to the general public about the history of the legendary Normandie-Neman. School textbooks on history generally do not mention the regiment. Journalists and guests often come to French veterans, but by and large they are all from the countries of the former Soviet Union. This attitude can be explained by the fact that France as a whole is very poorly tied to the memory of that terrible war. Yes, and how to compare what this state has experienced with the unimaginable suffering of the Soviet people. For the countries of the former Soviet Union, the Second World War, with twenty seven million dead, means much more than for France, which has lost about fifty thousand people.
I would like to hope that in the future our descendants around the world will remember the true heroes of that terrible war, and not think that a dozen Americans with machine guns won World War II.
Soviet soldiers and French pilots of the third squadron of the regiment "Normandie-Neman" at the fighter Yak-3
French pilots from the squadron "Normandie-Neman", who fought with the Germans on our front: Junior Pilot Joseph Risso, Lieutenant Derviov and Lieutenant Noel Castelen. In the background, the Yak-1B fighter
French pilots from the squadron "Normandie-Neman", who fought with the Germans on our front: Junior Pilot Joseph Risso, Lieutenant Derviov and Lieutenant Noel Castelen. In the background, the Yak-1B fighter
The Yak-3 fighter of the Normandie-Neman regiment at Stuttgart airfield is being serviced by Soviet technicians before moving to France. After the end of the war, the 41 combat fighter Yak-3, on which the French pilots of the Normandy-Neman regiment fought, was donated to France. 20 June 1945, the French pilots on these aircraft returned to their homeland. These fighters were in service with France until 1956.
The Yak-3 fighter of the Normandie-Neman regiment is already in France (Soviet identification marks are painted over on the plane)
The Yak-3 fighter of the Normandy-Neman regiment before flying to France. American technician inspects the cockpit. Airfield in the suburb of Stuttgart, June 1945 g
